Meeting new people can be nerve-racking, particularly when alcohol isn’t involved. But do not fret because these tips from Indy100 will help you to get a conversation going with a new person. Obviously this isn’t about tricking someone into liking you, but more about being your best self and putting the other person at ease. Here goes:

Ask open-ended questions

Ask at least two of these. Questions with yes or no answers will get you just that, a short answer.

This isn’t a problem for you, it’s a problem for who you are speaking with, because it puts the onus on them to try to think of something more interesting to say than a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

The conversation will flow better too, because an open ended question will give you room for a follow up question, that you won’t get from an affirmative or a denial.

Example questions suggested by Fast Company include:

How did you get into that?

What do you like most about it?

Step back

Although you want to lead the conversation down avenues bountiful, you then need to be reserved and quiet to demonstrate you are actually listening.

There is no point opening with a great leading question, if you use their answer to began an anecdote about yourself.

So there you have it – adopt these tips next time you’re meeting someone new and they’ll automatically think that you’re the dogs bollocks. Which you are anyway, but these techniques will help them realise that.

To find out the two things people judge you on when they first meet you, click HERE.